Meet the Urban Service Track Scholars

Elizabeth Chasse, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
I was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and moved to Connecticut at the age of eight. Following high school, I attended Stonehill College in Easton, MA, where I majored in biology and minored in psychology. I have chosen a career in medicine because of a long-standing desire to help people, especially children, in underserved communities. After college, I had the privilege of working at a teen pregnancy prevention agency in inner city New Britain, CT. The program was comprised mostly of minority and underserved youth. My job duties varied from day to day but one of the most valuable services I provided was to be a role model and mentor. I discovered that working directly with the children my work benefited gave greater purpose to everything I did. It was truly a priceless experience and one that has further strengthened my drive and commitment to help the underserved. I hope the UST will broaden my knowledge about how to better serve urban communities and allow me to continue helping underserved populations.

Tiffany Chen, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
A native of Woodbridge, CT, I graduated from Yale University with a bachelor's degree in history of science/history of medicine, an academic field that reveals the penetrating impact of medicine on the health of citizens, as well as on the overall vitality and stability of communities. My studies also exposed me to the dynamic intersection of culture and medicine -- a topic extremely relevant to treating the medically underserved. I volunteered in New Orleans in the aftermath of Katrina, interviewed coal miners in China, and assisted autistic toddlers during speech therapy sessions. Consequently, I have observed how health and well-being intricately affect all aspects of our lives and strongly believe that quality health care should be accessible to impoverished communities. I want to practice medicine among those who need the most help; socioeconomic status, ethnicity, or language should never be impediments. As the nation moves closer to overhauling the current health care system, the UST and its objectives become even more critical. Interdisciplinary cooperation is essential for comprehensive, competent and sustainable care. The UST, I believe, will give me a new awareness of and sensitivity to underserved patient populations.

Jason Crespo, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
I was born in Bridgeport, CT and raised in Florida, the sunshine state. After earning my AA at Valencia Community College, I entered the Doctorate of Pharmacy program at the University of Florida. During my pharmacy rotations, I realized that my true aspiration was to become a physician, quite possibly in academia. Even though this meant putting my life on hold, I reasoned that obtaining a medical degree would be the best way to influence the health care system. There is great value to interdisciplinary teams: physicians know how to diagnose and pharmacists know medication. A two-step approach to patient care is most efficient and economical. Many have asked, "Why leave Florida for Connecticut?" A major reason was the UST, which appeals to me -- a third-generation Puerto Rican -- because the program is unique in targeting urban populations. I anticipate meeting people who are on the front lines helping those who are less fortunate. These contacts will be invaluable as resources to serve the urban population who lack adequate health care.

Kevin Crozier, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2011
I decided to attend UCONN because of its outstanding program. Deciding on a major, however, was not an easy task. I finally chose pharmacy mostly because my cousin, a pharmacist, convinced me that I would love it due to my deep appreciation of science. I am from a small town in central Massachusetts where I also work as an intern for a local pharmacy. As an intern, I have participated in several blood pressure and diabetic awareness clinics. This experience ultimately sparked my interest to join UST so that I can continue to help underserved communities. My overall goal is to work in drug design research. I think that creating a drug to treat an illness would be a great accomplishment.

Michael Duda, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2011
Born and raised in Beacon Falls, CT, I am very proud to be an active student within UCONN's School of Pharmacy. I attended UCONN for all of my undergraduate years as a pre-pharmacy student. I currently serve as a pharmacy student director for Covenant Soup Kitchen clinic as well as a planner and site leader for the upcoming National Primary Care Week. My goal as a UST member and future provider is to raise awareness of health care disparities and to do my part to ensure underprivileged members of society have access to quality medical care.

Rickinder (Ricky) Grewal, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
An Ontario, Canada native who was raised in Texas and Connecticut, I am a 2009 UConn graduate with a bachelor of science degree in molecular and cell biology, and minors in Spanish and chemistry. My interest in medicine was kindled as a high school volunteer at St. Mary's Hospital, and solidified through volunteer work alongside a psychiatrist and two psychologists in a multiple family therapy group. Besides reinforcing how much I enjoy helping others, these experiences opened my eyes to what being a physician really entails. Diversity has always been important to me, as I am fluent in four languages and have volunteered as a Big Friends mentor and at Willimantic's No Freeze Homeless shelter. As a future physician, I believe my familiarity with personal struggle will be an asset. That, along with being a UST scholar, should enable me to improve the quality of care I provide to all patient populations.

Erica Huang, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2011
I am a lifelong Connecticut resident from Cromwell. I completed my undergraduate degree in pharmacy at UConn. I am a member of the student advisory board for the South Park Inn Medical Clinic, a free clinic serving Hartford's homeless community, and the student chapter of the Connecticut Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists. I joined the UST because I believe in the importance of service and dedication to helping underserved populations in need of health care. My goals for participating in this program are to gain experience in working with an interdisciplinary medical team and to become aware of the needs of underserved populations.

Hannah Hughes, School of Dental Medicine, Class of 2013
A lifelong New Englander, I was born and raised in a small suburban Rhode Island town along with three siblings. After graduation from high school, I earned my Gold Award in Girl Scouting, which involved creating and executing a special reading program in the local library. I then completed my undergraduate degree in physiology and neurobiology at UConn. There, I conducted research on the cause of Huntington's disease in a genetics lab. I also became an officer in UConn's chapter of the Pre-Dental Society, which helped solidify my love of the dental profession and provided several volunteer opportunities. In 2007, I traveled to Biloxi, Mississippi to help rebuild residential areas that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. I decided to become involved in UST because it is an opportunity to continue my community involvement while working with others interested in different fields of medicine. I am hoping to gain a better perspective on how health care professionals working as an integrated team can improve the health care system as a whole.

Shawnet K. Jones, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
Born in Jamaica, I immigrated to Texas as a toddler and later moved to Hartford, CT, where I currently reside. Becoming a doctor has always been my goal, and over the years, I have become increasingly interested in committing my time to the underserved. During undergraduate work in physiology and neurobiology at UCONN, I volunteered at a clinic in Willimantic. There, I experienced how community-based organizations work to meet the medical and social needs of the uninsured and underinsured. I also traveled to the Dominican Republic as part of a service learning program in which I helped teach such health-related workshops as nutrition, dental hygiene, and safe sex practices. I now understand that health care is multifaceted and requires cooperation, creativity, and dedication. It is my hope that UST will challenge and broaden my viewpoint, while illustrating how different health care professionals can interact to improve care for underserved populations.

Avery LaChance, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
A Guilford, CT native, I graduated in 2008 from Middlebury College with a degree in Japanese studies. During my time at Middlebury, I spent one month as an intern at a small, private hospital in Tamil Nadu, India. Although I had been intrigued by the medical field from an early age, this experience constituted my first exposure to the health care disparities that exist across different populations. A desire to minimize this medical resource gap among underserved populations here and abroad is what fuels my career trajectory. Through the UST, I look forward to learn from and work with local underserved communities alongside other service-oriented professionals and students, working toward a common goalof universal access to quality health care.

Ruth Lawn, School of Dental Medicine, Class of 2013
An Arizona native born to parents in the military, I have lived in various locations among families of many cultural and economic backgrounds, including residents of Okinawa, Japan. After graduating from Smith College with a bachelor's degree in biochemistry, I attended school for dental assisting in Connecticut. I worked for a while as a dental assistant and later taught courses in that field. My passion for serving the poor first surfaced when I volunteered at St. Anthony's Clinic in the Bronx and with a dental/medical team in Honduras as part of the Light of the World Charities. I have learned that compassionate and generous medical practitioners can help patients overcome feelings of powerlessness in a health care delivery system that is neither uniform nor fair. I know that the UST will foster interdisciplinary teamwork and help me refine the skills I need to become a leading role model in dental outreach.

Kiernan Lenehan, School of Dental Medicine, Class of 2013
I was born in Philadelphia, PA, and raised in sunny San Diego, CA. I obtained an undergraduate degree in biology at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. There, I volunteered at a non-profit dental clinic, as I did at the Connecticut Mission of Mercy during dental school. What I enjoyed most about these experiences was the genuine gratitude of the patients. They helped me realize that I can make a positive contribution to people's lives through my knowledge of dentistry. I am delighted to take part in the UST as a means of broadening my potential even further. It will afford me the opportunity to integrate and collaborate with other medical disciplines, and to practice dentistry with a holistic approach.

Victoria Liu, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2011
I am a Chinese American who was born and raised in the culturally diverse area of Windsor, Connecticut. My background has given me a unique view into the role culture plays in health care. In addition, work at my local retail pharmacy has highlighted health care disparities and the difficulties faced by the various patient populations everyday. I hope that through the UST I can learn how to help the underserved while gaining exposure to inter-professional teamwork. I look forward to contributing my knowledge and dedication as I learn from the different patients and health care professionals.

Tara Mould, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
Although I was born in Maryland, my family and I moved to Kingston, Jamaica, the land of my heritage, when I was 11 years old. I embrace my history and enjoy living among a proud melting pot of races and nationalities known as Jamaicans. Growing up in the West Indies allowed me to experience directly the hardships of living in a third world country. I was saddened by the conditions in which my fellow citizens lived and felt compelled to make positive contributions to my community through science and medicine. I pursued my career in the sciences by receiving a bachelor's degree in chemistry from Wesleyan University in 2008. I then did a post-baccalaureate program in the biological sciences and am now pursuing a career in medicine. My objective is to help lessen the disparities that exist in health care across racial, cultural and socioeconomic lines. I believe UST will provide me with the experience to serve the underserved foster an attitude of teamwork among my colleagues in all health care disciplines.

Anisa Naka, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2010
I was born in Albania, a Southeast European country, and moved to Hartford along with my family in 2001. Living in Hartford has given me the opportunity to meet people from different walks of life, and of different ethnic backgrounds, religions, beliefs, values and traditions. This has sparked a desire to work with a diverse population. Being a member of UST is just the first step in doing that. My goal is to become a clinical pharmacist and work alongside other health care professionals to provide medical care to people who would not otherwise receive it. Living in America has given me the opportunity and the privilege to serve a diverse underserved population. I am committed to use my knowledge and time to help the underserved community. I know that UST will prepare me and direct me to make the most of my time, skills and efforts for the benefit of the patient population I will serve.

Stephen Nelson, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
After living in various small towns, my family settled in Farmington, CT just as I was beginning high school. During high school, I participated in the renovation of the Hartford City Mission building, and became involved in tutoring and other after school activities. This would mark my first exposure to an urban area such as Hartford. I later obtained a bachelor's degree in biochemistry at Wheaton College in Illinois. There, I worked at inner city youth programs -- humbling experiences that entailed losing at basketball to local seventh graders. During the summer of my sophomore year, I traveled to Buenos Aires to work and study in a homeless shelter. All of these experiences increased my awareness of the urban condition, both at home and abroad. I am thrilled about the opportunity to participate in the UST so that I may continue to broaden my perspective on the urban environment.

Kerrie O'Brien, School of Dental Medicine, Class of 2012
I grew up in Hopkinton, MA, where the Boston Marathon starts! I graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a biochemistry degree. As an undergraduate, I worked in a chemistry lab for three years and spent summers at the University of South Alabama and Colorado State University participating in research. Those experiences, combined with working as an emergency medical technician at UMass, led me to consider a health care career. After some shadowing experience, I chose to apply to dental school during my junior year. After completing my first year of dental school and participating in community service activities, I decided to work with local underserved populations, as well as with students in different fields. As a future dentist, I feel a strong commitment to giving back to the underserved communities. Through UST, I hope to enhance my dental school experiences by working with the surrounding communities and students in other health professions.

Muamer Ramic, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2012
After leaving Bosnia and Herzegovina as a war refugee in 1993, I lived briefly in Germany before settling down with my family in the United States. In 2008, I enrolled in UConn's School of Pharmacy with a goal of becoming a clinical pharmacist. During this time, I worked in a community pharmacy where I learned the skills essential to serving a diverse patient population. Two serious issues have motivated me to dedicate my energy and efforts to help solve health problems. The first was the death of close relatives due to misdiagnosis and the unavailability of medications and professional staff. The second is the rise in incurable illnesses such as AIDS, cancer, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. Participation in the UST program will provide me with an opportunity to strengthen my skills as a future pharmacist as well as to develop relationships with patients and other professionals in the field. As future health care professionals, we need to advocate for better care for underserved populations. I believe that all citizens of this great nation deserve equal access to high-quality health care, regardless of socioeconomic background.

Christine L. Shapter, School of Medicine, Class of 2013
Over the course of many years of working as a nurse, I realized my true calling was to become a physician. Caring for patients with acute and chronic illnesses gave me a greater understanding of how lack of access to health care strongly affects patient outcomes. My hope is that ultimately, all citizens will have access to quality health care, and in that regard, my philosophy mirrors the UST goals. With a sincere desire to serve the community, my purpose is to provide care and health education to as many people in need as possible. I was raised in West Hartford, CT, earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from Saint Joseph College, and completed the necessary medical pre-requisite courses through the UCONN School of Medicine?s post-baccalaureate program.

Cathy Sliwinski, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2010
A New Britain, CT native, I received my bachelor's degree in pharmacy studies from UConn in 2008. I chose to pursue a pharmacy career because I feel pharmacists are the most easily accessible of all health care workers, and as such, are uniquely situated to help patients. Working with and helping patients is, for me, the single most enjoyable aspect of this profession, as I discovered while on rotations this year. I chose to enter the UST due to the opportunities it provides to network and build shared experiences with other health care providers. I also feel strongly that it is important to give back to the community, and the UST will enable me to help those who are most often overlooked and in the greatest need of services. My hope is that the UST will provide me with the tools to build better communication among doctors, nurses and pharmacists to help achieve the best possible outcomes for all patients.

Christina Sok, School of Nursing, Class of 2013
I am the eldest in a family of six, and the first of 15 grandchildren. I was born in California, raised in Massachusetts and moved to Hartford about five years ago. The health field and human anatomy have always interested me. Through a variety of experiences, including shadowing and working with the Area Health Education Center, I concluded that I would prefer to be a neonatal nurse. With such a large family, I have a lot of experience with infants, and I find that caring for them is rewarding and fascinating. UST appeals to me because it seeks to provide care to urban areas, such as Hartford, and will offer me a chance to give back to my community.

Danielle Voisine, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2011
I serve as the UConn chapter president of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, as well as the student representative to the Geriatric Academic Roundtable. I am also an intern at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Newington, CT, where I am gaining experience in the outpatient pharmacy and the Anti-Coagulation Clinic. I grew up in Plainville, CT, a small town located in central Connecticut. Plainville's community had little diversity; unfortunately, I had few opportunities to interact with others from diverse populations. UST, however, will change all that. With UST, I will have a hands-on experience working with urban populations and other health care professionals. The program will allow me to use my knowledge and passion to help community members in need. It also will enhance my educational and professional experiences so that one day I will have a large impact in helping urban populations.

Kristie Wahl, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2010
A native of the small town of Gardner, MA, I always wanted to work in the health care field but had no specific discipline in mind. After graduating from high school, I choose to attend UConn for pre-pharmacy studies, principally because I wanted a career that allowed for patient interaction and the chance to improve people's lives with each day of work. It was not until I became of member of the South Park Inn Student Board of Directors that I experienced the fulfillment of working with different disciplines to help the underserved. Consequently, I applied to the UST. I am looking forward to providing services to those most in need while gaining insight into the dental, nursing and medical disciplines.

Si Hyung Woo (David), School of Medicine, Class of 2013
My desire to work with underserved populations stems from my personal experiences living in America as a first-generation immigrant. I was born in Seoul, South Korea, moved to the United States at the age of five, and lived in several large cities before settling in Thomaston, CT. I graduated from Wesleyan University with a degree in biology. At Wesleyan, my interests in socio-economic injustice and health inequality inspired me to undertake a senior tutorial project on the biological and environmental causes behind the different infant mortality rates experienced by Caucasian and African American mothers. Furthermore, the positive experiences I had as a four-year volunteer at the Migrant Farm Workers health clinic solidified my decision to pursue a medical career. After college, I spent one year working for the Northwestern CT Area Health Education Center where I coordinated a service-learning program called the Collegiate Health Service Corps. As a prospective ER physician in an inner city hospital, I believe the knowledge and experience I will obtain as a UST scholar will become invaluable assets in my future practice. I hope to use my training to provide excellent care to every patient I serve.

Elizabeth Zhu, School of Pharmacy, Class of 2011
Although I was born in Hangzhou, China, I moved to Connecticut at the age of three and have resided here ever since. As part of an underserved minority, I asm tremendously committed to helping all communities receive the health care they deserve. I have always been equipped with a strong sense of justice and an equally strong will to change things for the better. I bring to the UST my educational background and experience working during the summer in an inter-professional environment at Bristol-Myers Squibb. In learning about the UST, I recognized many of the objectives I sought for myself. Overall, it offers an excellent opportunity to bridge diverse health care fields starting from where it all begins -- with the students.